


The Eleventh Highlander

by Dorkangel



Series: Alternate Character Episodes [3]
Category: Doctor Who 1963
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-22
Updated: 2014-03-22
Packaged: 2018-01-16 15:13:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1352053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dorkangel/pseuds/Dorkangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What would have happened if the 'Highlanders' with the Second Doctor had been with the Eleventh Doctor instead? (My first work)<br/>The Doctor and the Ponds land in 1746, where they get a bit mixed up in a rebellion.<br/>If you like this work, please leave kudos and comment :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Eleventh Highlander

**Author's Note:**

> Clara Oswin Oswald does appear. I went back and put her in.
> 
> This may include unnecessary emphasis on Jamie McCrimmon, but he's my favourite character EVER!
> 
> Also, this was written on my phone and I can't do italics, so anything in capitals is supposed to be in italics.

The Eleventh Highlander

'Everything needs more Jamie McCrimmon. And preferably more Rory Williams. Or, better, both.' - A wise and venerable person. (Me)

It was the close of the bloody battle of Culloden Moor. A small, surviving group of rebels limped across the battlefield, members of the McLauren Clan - for the most part - supporting their injured Laird under the arms. Soon enough they reached a small, stone cottage and ducked hurriedly inside.  
They rested the Laird on the table, his daughter, Kirsty, running quickly to his side as he stirred with a low moan. "Water..." he croaked. The young piper who was with them shook the flask, and gave it quickly to Kirsty, saying "There's a wee drop left yet." He was uncomfortable under the steely gaze of the only other individual in the room; a fighting rebel named Alexander McLauren, Kirsty's brother. "Why did you take me away from the battle?" asked the Laird weakly. No one but Alexander dared reply. "Over. The English cut the crowds to pieces before we could even get to claymore's reach of them."  
Sighing resignedly, the piper raised his bagpipes to his lips and played a disjointed jig for a moment until Alexander knocked them down. "Whesht! Do you wish to bring the English down on us lad?"  
"They'll be here soon enough, have no fear." he replied sulkily and sat down. The piper's name was Jamie McCrimmon, and Colin McLauren, the Laird, was his uncle. He wasn't quite sure how he'd gotten mixed up in this battle, or where the rest of his clan was, and he didn't really care anymore. This felt like hell to him: The English were coming anyway, and Alexander wouldn't let him play his pipes. "The prince?" moaned the Laird. "Don't bother yourself about him." Jamie replied angrily. "He was the first to leave the field."  
"Don't you talk that way about the prince." cut Alexander in slightly worse that his usual tone and Jamie settled into a nervous silence again. "Oh, why didn't you leave me to die on the field?"  
"You're the Laird himself." replied his son. "And you wouldn't be much better out there. The English are butchering all the wounded and hanging all the prisoners."  
"They cannae hang us all, can they?" asked Jamie, and Alexander replied "We'll fight them lad, rest assured."  
"Hey!" shouted Alexander unexpectedly. "There's someone coming down here."  
"Red coats?" asked Kirsty nervously. "Doesn't look like it." said Jamie. "Alexander, Jamie, you go check." ordered the Laird feebly, and the two young men crept out, clutching their dirks.

The TARDIS wheezed and groaned into existence in a clump of trees. Rory stuck his head out first. "Where are we?" yelled a bow-tied lunatic from within. "Looks like England." he said, stepping out uncertainly. "OR Scotland." finished Amy forcefully, thumping him on the shoulder. "It's raining." Rory groaned, and she grinned. "It's probably Scotland." she laughed gleefully. "Yes!" came the voice of the Doctor, still from within the TARDIS. "Scotland in the 1740s!" He emerged grinning, but it faded within seconds. "Bit dangerous. But never mind! We'll be fine!" Rory and Amy exchanged worried glances. "If it's dangerous, maybe we shouldn't stay here..." hazarded Rory, knowing the answer he'd get. "Don't be boring!" cried the Doctor. "How is it dangerous?" asked Amy roguishly, not really caring about the answer. Like Rory, she only really asked to establish just how much attention the Doctor was paying to them. "We might be shot by the English if they think we're rebels," he murmured sheepishly. "And we might be shot by the Scottish if they think we're English."  
"Nah," laughed Amy. "We'll be fine."  
Without warning, something small and heavy flew through the air, landing close enough to the TARDIS crew to give them all a heart attack. "What the hell was that?!" screamed Amy. "A-a canon ball." stammered the Doctor, shocked. "Why is there a canon ball? It's after the battle."  
"How long after the battle?" said Rory, thinking out loud. The Doctor pouted childishly. "About ten minutes since the last bits of fighting. But it's probably safe." he admitted.  
Amy rolled her eyes: It was always like this with her boys. The Doctor would take her anywhere and it'd be fun, but SO dangerous, and she could die if not for a few lucky accidents... And Rory would want to keep her safe and loved, but he'd follow her to the ends of the earth.  
"Come on." demanded Amy. "I'm going to look. Follow me if you want!"  
The Doctor and Rory exchanged one last glance, and then followed Amy, as always.

"This must be the canon, Doctor." mused Rory, shaking his fingers as he burnt them on a smoking gun, but the Doctor wasn't listening. "Look at this!" he was saying. "I would like a hat like this!". He was wearing a bonnet with a feather and a ribbon on it, which he'd found on the ground a second ago, and Amy was laughing. "Doctor!". Her smile faded a little as she mentioned: "There's something written on it." He took it off and read it carefully. "With Charles, our great and merciful Prince Royal, we will nobly save our country. Ugh!" he threw it down, apparently disgusted. "Proud nonsense...". He was cut short as two swords levelled themselves at his throat, their owners having crept out from the cart that they were watching behind. "Pick it up." growled Alexander.

The two young highlanders and their bemused prisoners rushed back into the cottage. "What is it?" asked Kirsty. "I mean, who are they?"  
"Uh, people who don't need to get stabbed." offered Rory as Alexander poked his sword at him. "They're no Scottish." he said. "They threw down the Prince's cockade!"  
"Which prince?" murmured Rory curiously. "Prince Charles Edward. Bonny Prince Charlie." said the Doctor from the corner of his mouth.  
"English!" exclaimed the Laird. "All of them."  
"Do you wish any last words before you die?" asked Alexander surprisingly cheerfully, drawing his dirk. "Die?" cried Amy. "You can't just kill us in cold blood!"  
"Our blood's warm enough!" Jamie answered. "Your English troopers showed no mercy to men, women and children!" He came closer to the Doctor with his knife. "And you're English."  
"Umm, no, we're not." said Amy, using her most-definitely-Scottish-voice. "And I'm her husband." added Rory helpfully. "And I'm her... personal physician." finished the Doctor. "So basically," Amy explained. "I'm Scottish, and I'm in charge."  
"You're a Doctor?" asked Kirsty uncertainly, comprehending about one percent of what they'd just said. "Yes." said the Doctor proudly, straightening his bowtie. "We'll won't kill him then." growled Alexander, and everyone who wasn't related to him looked at him, surprised, including Jamie. "Please, could you help him?" asked Kirsty desperately, gesturing to the prone Laird. "What's wrong with him?" said the Doctor, surprisingly professionally, but before anyone could answer, Jamie shouted "Redcoats! Coming this way, about six of them. We'll be slaughtered!" He turned desperately to Alexander. "Can we not get away? We'll be caught like rats in a hole."  
"I'll distract them," replied Alexander, going outside. "You keep your heads down." He charged at a single man, who tried to get a shot off, but failed. Alexander raised his sword, yelling, but was quite literally cut off by the soldier's sword in his middle.  
Meanwhile, inside the cottage, there was an air of slight panic. "Kirsty, and umm, you there," said Jamie nervously, pointing at Amy. "Amy." she told him helpfully. "You should go." he said decisively. "Aye," finished the Laird. "This won't be any place for two lassies." Amy picked up a spare knife and glared at him, but then a great knocking began at the door. "Open up!" came a shouting voice, and Amy and Kirsty reluctantly snuck out of the back. They did not open the door, but the soldiers smashed it down without much trouble."What's this?" asked their smug officer maliciously. "A group of rebels, hiding in a hole?". The other soldiers lowered their guns at the unfortunate prisoners. "Hey!" yelled Rory. "You can't do that, we're prisoners of war!  
"I can do whatever I want." hissed the officer, roughly pushing Rory back, into Jamie. "And me and Rory aren't rebels." added the Doctor.  
"Deserters then." he snarled. "But... Since you mention it, I think a hanging would do rather better. You, get him up.". He gestured to the Laird, who was pulled up by a soldier. "Who is he?"  
"Colin McLauren." replied Jamie proudly. "And I'm his piper."  
"Out, the lot of you. Now."  
"But he can't walk!"  
"Drag him."  
The Doctor scowled. So much for 'It'll probably be fine'.

A tall man in a good suit and wig watched the rebels come out of the cottage from a distance, with a telescope. "What a waste of manpower." he muttered to himself as his small, elderly servant unpacked his lunch. "Not a very inspiring battle, but... These Highlanders." he mused. "Used to hard work and not much food, probably. He turned and spoke to his servant. "As commissioner of prisons, I do believe we can make quite a profit from this, Perkins. I have a friend with a ship at his disposal, and I would imagine we can rescue some of these Highlanders from His Majesty's more over zealous soldiers. I think we'd best get to our business, or there'll be nothing but corpses left, and corpses aren't of any use to our purpose.". He strode off, followed by his bumbling servant. They made quite a silhouette.

Kirsty and Amy scrambled up to a small cave hidden in a hill behind a clump of trees. "Oh, no!" cried Kirsty. "What can be happening to them? My father, and Jamie, and... And your friends!"  
"They'll be fine!" said Amy, with more bravado then she felt. "The Doctor'll look after them.". Then she sighed angrily. "I can't believe we just ran off! There's got to be something we can do."  
"What do you mean? Go after them?"  
"Yep."  
"But, they said not to."  
"Yeah, well. I don't usually listen." Amy stood up, rolling her eyes at Kirsty. "Fat lot of use you are."  
"Well, what do you think we should do?"  
Amy thought for a moment. She didn't know much history, but English soldiers tended to act like dicks when they invaded places, so... "Have you got any money?"  
"Hmm?"  
"To bribe the soldiers. Hey, how about that ring?" asked Amy curiously, noticing a large gold ring on Kirsty's finger. "No!" shouted Kirsty unexpectedly, then looked down, blushing. "It's my fathers." she explained. "I have to look after it. It wouldn't work either; they won't just not shoot them." Kirsty looked dangerously close to crying, so Amy tapped her awkwardly on the back. "Come on," she said. "Let's go and see what's happening."  
She and Kirsty stuck their heads around the clump of trees and watched carefully. "Well," thought Amy out loud. "At least they're not going to SHOOT them."  
They could see the soldiers hanging nooses while the prisoners watched miserably. "Come on." yelled Kirsty. "We'll cause a diversion."  
"Hey!" shouted Amy, following her a little away from the trees, to avoid suspicion. "Up here!".  
The smug officer from before halted in his work and glanced at the two figures on the hill. "Look, sergeant! Two girls."  
"I heard," said one of the privates chattily. "That Bonny Prince Charlie was trying to escape dressed as a woman." A greedy smile spread like oil over the officer's face. "I'll go after them, sergeant." he practically demanded. "You stay here."

Kirsty and Amy ran back into the trees and hid in the little cave again as the officer and his men chased them and the sergeant, his men and the prisoners watched. "All right you scum," he yelled promptly. "Get on with the hanging!"  
"You can't hang us with your officer away!" objected the Doctor. "Why do you think he went away?" sneered the sergeant. "Got a delicate stomach, he has. Right! Get 'em up."  
The prisoners were hauled onto a rough bench. "Take the strain," and the nooses were placed around their necks, forcing them onto tiptoes. "Stand by..."  
"Halt!"  
The well dressed man from the hill came in, followed by his servant. His name was Grey, and he was a solicitor. "I have this," he said pompously, brandishing a piece of paper. "And it gives me charge over all rebel prisoners. Those ones for example," he finished, noting Jamie and Rory. "Get them down." Jamie and Rory, with their hands still tied, were brought toward Grey, but he dismissed the Doctor and the Laird. "Leave that tired one and the odd-looking scoundrel.". Frantically, the Doctor managed to get his psychic paper out. "As you can see, Mr...?"  
"Grey. Solicitor Grey."  
"As you can see, Mr Grey, this is the 1730, umm, Aliens act, which says... Something about taking us too.". The Doctor was trying urgently to read upside down. "I'm the only law what matters here." bluffed the sergeant.  
"No matter. We'll take him with us too." put in Grey suprisingly. "Who are you?"  
"I'm the Doctor. Doctor Smith.". Grey laughed maliciously and said "They'll need Doctors where you're going. Come on now, you three."  
"No!" said Jamie forcefully."I'll not leave him." he clung back with the Laird. "You'll have to hang me with him."  
Grey simply raised an eyebrow. "What do you think, Doctor?" he asked. "Can this man be healed of his wounds?"  
"Absolutely." The Doctor told him, nodding wildly. "Wait, where are we going?" Rory asked. "Inverness prison." replied Grey. "Get moving."

Kirsty and Amy watched from the hill, knowing nervously that the slimy officer and his men where out there looking for them. "Where are they going?" said Amy, only to turn around and find Kirsty crying again. "They'll be taking them to Inverness prison." she sobbed. "Well," thought Amy. "We'd better follow them. I've got this bracelet we can sell if we really need the money."  
"I don't think we should..."  
"I'm going." Amy said firmly. "Even if you're not."  
She strode dramatically out of the cave, feeling very proud of herself... Until she fell down a deep hole. After the initial shock, she reasoned relatively calmly that this was probably a wild animal trap. "Help!" she shouted. "Help me, I'm down here!". But she quickly revised this strategy as a BAD IDEA because there was a gun pointed at her, with the slimy lieutenant behind it.

At Inverness, the Doctor, Rory and the Highlanders were thrown into a dark cell, filled to about waist height with water. At first the Doctor took little notice of their surroundings - or rather, they were the only things he noticed. "Look at this. The water level rises to all the way up here." The Doctor gestured to a mark just above his head. "I hope you all can swim." he said, turning to face the other prisoners, and noticing that Jamie especially paled a little at this statement. Jamie couldn't swim, but, noticing the Doctor looking at him, he smiled a little. "Never fear. King George has worse than this."  
"Yes, well, I'm glad Amy's not here. Personally though, I'm just beginning to enjoy myself." He cleared his throat. "Down with King George!" he yelled, much to the laughter of the captured Jacobites. "So you are for the prince?" asked Jamie.  
"Not really. I just like hearing the echo."  
"Doctor." called Rory, supporting the Laird. "He needs medical attention. Now."  
"Well," the Doctor replied quietly, taking a first aid kit from his pocket. "You're the expert."  
Jamie watched protectively and a little sceptically as Rory bandaged the Laird's wounds. "What are you doing?" he said incredulously. "You haven't even bled him yet."  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
"Blood letting." Jamie said professionally. "It's the only way to cure the sick."  
"Actually, it'd probably kill him." Rory shot back. "He's lost enough blood already." The Doctor rolled his eyes and took out a telescope, which he proceeded to stare out of the window through. "Heebie-Jeebie... Taurus and Gemini, Mars and Ares..."  
"What are you mumbling about now?" sighed Rory exasperatedly. "Wheesht, man." said Jamie. "When was the Laird born?" asked the Doctor. "In the fifth month." Jamie told him, without hesitation. "Exactly." replied the Doctor, then smiled his kind, clever smile at Rory. "The blood letting must wait until Taurus is rising." Jamie nodded fervently and went back to the Laird's side. "He does look better." he admitted reluctantly. "What's this?" asked Rory, pulling a flag from off the Laird. "Put it back!" hissed Jamie. "If a sentry saw it..."  
"What is it though?"  
"It's the Prince's personal standard, put it back. Hey!" The Doctor grabbed it. "I can hide it rather better than someone who's barely conscious, I think." he explained, and then: "Anyone know any good songs? I'm bored." Not needing any more cue than that, Jamie started singing loudly, and most of the rest of the Highlanders followed. The discordant singing was accompanied delightfully by the guard's angry shouting, Rory's protests and the Doctor's attempts to join in.  
As the guards entered the cell, the Doctor quickly stopped singing and threw himself forward. "Help! They're singing to drive me insane!" he shouted in a very English accent. "I am a loyal supporter of King George, and I have proof of a plot against him."  
The rebels started a great torrent of abuse against the Doctor. "Oh, come on!" yelled Rory above the general noise, and especially trying to cover up Jamie's: "I knew he was nae one of us!"  
"Thank you!" quipped the Doctor as he slipped quickly past the befuddled guard, then proceeded to straighten his bow tie and say "Take me to your leader." with considerable delight. Still confused, but dubious to any idea of an escape attempt from this skinny, chained prisoner, the guard led him out. As he did how ever, the Doctor spun on his heel and winked happily at Rory, who sighed resignedly. "Bye then, Doctor." he said to the empty air. "Oh shut up." Jamie snapped. "Why don't you go and join your friend?"  
"No," said Rory. "It was a lie to get us out of here. I hope."  
"I don't understand you." said Jamie, slightly happier though, with the idea that the Doctor hadn't stolen the prince's standard in order to betray them to the English. "I wouldn't worry about it." Rory assured him. "I'd worry about that water level if I were you." They both glanced nervously around them.

"Right." smiled the slimy lieutenant. "I think I've got you corner-!"  
He broke off into a meaningless shout as something smashed him around the head from behind, and fell forwards into the animal pit. "Amy!" cried Kirsty from where the officer had been a second ago. "Are you okay?" Amy laughed. "I'm fine. Can you help me up?"  
"Yes, just a second." said Kirsty. "Oh, no wait. I've got a better idea." Amy reached into the pockets of the slimy officer and took out a bag of coins and what looked like an identity card. "Algernon Ffinch." she read. "Two 'f's. f-Finch." The man stirred with a moan. "Lie still." said Kirsty unexpectedly, picking up his dropped gun and pointing it at him. He raised his hands. "Listen," said Amy mischeviously. "I'd bet anything you didn't want your fellow soldiers to see that you'd been captured by two girls. So I'm going to take this," she added, showing him the identity card. "and I'm going to leave. And if we need you later, we'll ask."  
"You don't expect me to do as you say?" he blustered. "This is blackmail!"  
"Yes, stupid, it is." explained Amy. "And that's how blackmail works." Kirsty helped her out of the trap, and they set off amid much nervous giggling to Inverness.

"Aye," laughed a sailor-y looking person maliciously. "My boat is ready for it's livestock. And one of your Highlanders'll do a fair bit of work, I'd imagine?"  
"Hmm." replied Grey, the solicitor. "We'll start loading the prisoners tonight, before the judges can get to them."  
"And these Highlanders'll be going to work on some prison in Cornwall before you can say 'Down with King George'!" laughed the man.  
"This is no laughing matter, Trask. Imagine if we were caught for goodness sake."  
Suddenly one of the soldiers came marching in. "What is it?" asked Grey sharply. "One of the prisoners, sir. Demands to speak to you, says he has information about some plot or another to kill King George."  
"Which prisoner is it?" asked Grey sceptically. "The Doctor, sir."  
"Oh really? Hmm. Bring him in."  
"Whatever you say sir." The soldier saluted and left, then returned, pushing the Doctor. "You may go." said Grey meaningfully, laying his pistol on the table. "You too, Trask. Begin loading the... Livestock."  
"Arrr." replied Trask, pirately. "So, Doctor, what of this plot?" asked Grey. The Doctor smiled triumphantly. "There is none."  
"Doctor, I warn you not to waste my time. I have no use for you otherwise."  
"I'm sure you have a use for 15000 pounds." replied the Doctor quietly and seriously. "How would you like to know the location of Prince Charles Edward: Bonny Prince Charlie?"  
"What are you talking about?" said Grey quickly. The Doctor took out the silk flag and waved it about. "This is his personal standard. Whoever carried it would have to be quite close to the prince, right?"  
"Right!" Grey was leaning in greedily, staring at the flag, and so was completely surprised when the Doctor threw it at him and grabbed the pistol from the table. "I would advise you not to move. I'm not very good with these things, and it just might go off in your face."  
Grey sat very still, and the Doctor smiled. "Now," he said. "Into the cupboard here."

Trask came thundering stupidly into the office a few minutes later, only to find it empty. "We've started shipping them to - where the devil are you?"  
There was a muffled shouting from the cupboard and Trask unlocked it, only for Grey to come tumbling out. "What the hell are you doing in there?"  
"Be quiet you stupid man! Where is the Doctor?"  
"Who?"  
"That prisoner, the Doctor. He threatened me and ran off."  
"I haven't seen him." The solicitor growled. "Call the watch, then take those prisoners aboard before the soldiers get here."  
"Arrr."

The Doctor ran down a flight of steps into what looked like a kitchen, and spun around wildly, looking for an escape route... But then saw a mirror. He smiled at his reflection and straightened his bow tie. "Bow ties are cool." he remarked to the empty room, but then, hearing someone coming, ducked under a washing line to hide...  
Only to bump into someone coming the other way! A servant girl, by the look of it, with dark hair and a funny-turned-up nose, and a dress that looked suspiciously tartan. "Oi, watch it!" she cried, laughing. "Sorry!" replied the Doctor in turn. "I'll just be goin-" he froze as the soldiers entered the room, and the girl noticed that. "You hiding from them?" she whispered.  
The Doctor hesitated, then nodded, and she calmly grabbed a basket of washing and walked straight back through the sheets, into the arms of the soldiers. "What the hell're you doing here?!" she half-screamed dramatically. "You near scared me to death!"  
"We are looking for a man known as the Doctor, Miss...?"  
"Clara Oswin Oswald."  
"Miss Oswald. Wearing a strange kind of a necktie and a funny jacket. All together odd character Miss, could be up to all manner of mischief."  
"I've nae seen anyone like that. And I think I'd remember if I had."  
"He must of gone out of the building. Thank you, Miss."  
Clara placed her hands on her hips and frowned thoughtfully as the soldiers filed out. She pulled the sheets back forcefully. "You the 'Doctor' then?"  
"Yes."  
"And what manner of mischief have you been up to, if you don't mind me asking?"  
"Just helping a few injured rebels," said the Doctor, getting close enough to the truth. "I am, after all, the Doctor."  
She nodded, biting her lip, and then said quietly: "I've no love for King George myself, Doctor. Good luck to ye."  
And she left, leaving the Doctor straightening his bowtie curiously.

In the prison, Trask burst into the cell, followed by two or three guards. "Right, get up. You three," he ordered, choosing Jamie, Rory and the laird randomly because they were in his way. "Come with us. Now."  
The prisoners were escorted, Jamie still half carrying the Laird, outside and along the road, the back way to the harbour. As they passed his washing line, the Doctor peeked out, and seeing Rory and the others stepped into their way a little. "Watch it!" yelled Trask, pushing him out of the way, but he had achieved his goal; the prisoners noticed him, and Rory at least noted silently that the Doctor was going to help them. Hopefully.  
They were led to a small room at the back of the inn, where a trap door led down to the waterside. "What's your friend doing?" asked Jamie as they waited for the trapdoor to be opened. "Safe, I hope." said Rory wishfully, thinking of Amy. "Aye, and Kirsty too, but I meant the Doctor."  
"Quiet there!" yelled Trask, close enough to their ears to make them flinch. He brandished his whip. "Unless you want a taste of this, that is."  
They were pushed into a boat. "Come on," said Rory, a little desperately. "Let's make a break for it. Swim."  
" I can't swim!" whispered Jamie. "Be quiet!" came Trask's thunderous voice from just behind them and the little boat set off.  
Eventually the side of a boat - the Annabelle - came into view. "Y-you haven't the mind to drown us, have you?" asked Jamie nervously. "No," laughed Trask evilly. "But once you're aboard the Annabelle, over the side is the only way you'll be getting off."  
The prisoners were pushed towards a hatch into the hull. "Down there." growled Trask.  
Rory objected quickly. "But, there's no room!"  
"Room enough for rebels."  
Jamie scowled as his pride was insulted, a dangerous idea usually. "Well I'm not going." he said stoically, but Trask pushed him and he half fell down the wooden steps to land on the crowded floor below. "Another word out of you," he snarled. "And I'll be down here with my cutlass!".  
The rebels helped poor Jamie to his feet and Rory and the Laird went down the steps to join him.  
"It's hard to breathe." stated Rory in his usual mode of sarcastic amazement. "It's actually too crowded to breathe."  
"At least we're alive." the Laird replied slowly. "Sir," said Jamie, bending quickly to his level. "Are you alright?"  
"Yes, thank you, Jamie."  
"He won't be getting better cooped up in this hellhole." complained Rory.  
"Where are they taking us anyway?"  
"God knows!" answered the Laird. "Someone here might?" Jamie suggested and Rory nodded, then turned and tapped whoever was sat next to them on the shoulder.  
"Excuse me, do you know where we're going?"  
"Beware the spies!" cried the man, suddenly standing up. Rory was so surprised that he nearly fell over. "An Englishman," continued the enormous, very Scottish man with longish, dirty blonde hair in a ponytail. "another blow we can strike for Bonny Prince Charlie!" There was a loud cheer from all the rebels behind him as he advanced forward and Rory stumbled back over someone's legs, apologising and assuring the rebels that there'd been a mistake. "Will McCay!" shouted the Laird, with considerable volume for someone almost completely unable to move. "You wouldn't strike a friend of the prince, would you?"  
"I know that voice." replied the huge man, half joking. "Oh, don't tell me you've been in France so long you've forgotten me?" chuckled the Laird, and the other man - Will, presumably - turned and clapped him on the shoulder, seeing as how he couldn't reach the back. "Colin McLauren! Laird, it's yourself."  
"Aye."  
"And, this young man is a friend of the prince you say?"  
"Aye, well, he's a friend of mine. He healed my wounds and helped bring me here when I was too weak to stand."  
"That's alright then." Will turned to face Rory again, though he was smiling now. "No offence meant."  
Rory hesitated, but felt it was probably best to agree with him, so he nodded. "And this," continued the Laird. "Is Jamie McCrimmon. A piper like his father, Donald McCrimmon and his father before that."  
"Only, I've not got my pipes." Jamie interrupted. "Oh, aye, wee Jimmy." said Will, messing up his hair. Jamie scowled, and Rory thought quietly that they'd probably met before. A long time before.  
"So how did this man come to be with you, Laird?" asked Will friendlily. "Rory's a deserting English army doctor." Jamie replied quickly, sparing Rory the trouble. "He's here with his wife: she's Scottish you see. And another Doctor."  
"He... travels though." Rory cut through. "He's not here right now."  
"A man of the sea? I'm a sailor myself." Will remarked. "In fact, I'm the true master of this vessel. Trask was my first mate you understand, and we were smuggling arms to the rebels and he betrayed us."  
"Where are we going then?" asked Rory, determined to get the answer eventually. "Cornwall." Will said grimly, as if he was saying 'dead puppies'. "What's wrong with Cornwall?"  
"It's as far away from Scotland as you can get without bumping into France." exclaimed Jamie. "Exactly." said Will. "They're sending us to be unpaid labour in a prison in Cornwall."

Amy paced around a barn in Inverness, waiting for Kirsty to return with some clothes as a disguise, or something to pretend to be selling or something else. God, she was bored. Pulling a face, she took out Ffinch's pistol and looked at it. Suddenly she heard two people coming closer; they were talking. She ducked behind an overturned cart, pointing the gun at the door... And Kirsty and the Doctor came in!  
"Doctor! What the hell are you doing here?" she gasped.  
"Well, looking for you." he said smiling. "Have you seen Rory?" she asked, and Kirsty added "And Jamie and the Laird?". The Doctor frowned and pulled both of them into a hug. "Don't worry." he said. "They're alive... But for some reason they've been taken down to a ship. And sent aboard."  
"What?!"  
"Yes, yes, yes, I'm working on it. Look on the plus side, they're alive and generally healthy. Probably. That's my news, Pond, what's yours?"  
"We have an ally in the enemy camp." said Amy proudly. "A lieutenant Algernon Ffinch."  
"How did you get HIM to work with YOU?" asked the Doctor incredulously, and Amy shrugged mischievously. "Extortion."

The Doctor and the two girls made their way to the Inn, where they quickly spotted Ffinch sitting exhaustedly in a corner. When he saw them he started and jumped up. "Not you again!"  
"Yes, us again." said Kirsty, smiling. "What do you want from me?" he moaned. "You've taken all my money."  
"Information." replied Amy, leaning forward over the table. "You and your friends arrested and attempted to hang our friends. Where have they been taken?"  
"How should I know? I just round them up. In prison somewhere."  
"No," hissed Kirsty. "They're not. They've been taken aboard a ship - where is it going?"  
"For goodness sake, I don't know! You'd have to ask Grey, he's the man in charge of the prisons." Ffinch was nearly collapsing over his drink with woe. "Thank you," said Any brightly. "You've been a great help."  
"Actually," whispered the Doctor. "It might be best if we don't talk to this Grey."  
"Why ever not?" asked Kirsty. "Because I already talked to him and... I'm not sure he'd want to 'talk' again."  
"Come on, Doctor, we've got to!" said Kirsty, and so, reluctantly, they set out for the prison.

They knocked on the door, and Grey opened it and then stumbled back at the sight of the Doctor. "Wait!" shouted the Doctor. "I have information about the whereabouts of the prince, like I said!"  
"Why on earth are you still here?" asked Grey, who had been very nearly about to call for the guards. "Turns out," the Doctor answered, straightening his bow tie again. "I can't get to them - I mean, him - on my own."  
"What are you talking about?" said Grey, a greedy glint shiny in his beady eyes. "He's been put aboard a boat." said the Doctor. "The Annabelle."  
"The Annabelle!" cried Grey. "I am the owner of that vessel. Which one of the captured rebels is he?"  
"I can show you," promised the Doctor. "trust me."

While the Doctor and the two girls were talking to Grey, a different dilemma of the solicitor's making was taking place onboard the ship. "Right," yelled Trask, coming down the steps, followed by Grey's servant, Perkins. "Be quiet, the lot of you!"  
The rebels were gradually silent, watching the two men on the stairs. "I am here to offer you a chance to accept his Royal Majesty, King George II's -" and here there was a great shout of indignation and even some booing from the rebels. "Clemency!" he finished more angrily than he'd intended. "For those of you who remain loyal the Prince Charles, there is the hanging." The Laird snorted. "Clemency indeed." he murmured, much to the quiet agreement of Jamie and Will. "If you wish to live, you can offer to be a witness against your fellow rebels."  
"A traitor, you mean!" shouted Jamie, much to the louder agreement of everyone else. "Be quiet you dogs!" roared Trask though, and once again, moody, nervous silence filled the hull. "Or there is another way out. There is a prison in Cornwall that needs workers: I can offer you here a seven year contract, and then you are free."  
At this statement, at first there was a quiet disbelief, and then Will shouted "No they won't be! I've seen these prisons, you wouldn't survive seven years." he now addressed the rebels. "Better an honourable death on the end of a rope, lads."  
"May I remind you," cut in Perkins. "The courtesies offered to rebels. Hung, surely, but also drawn and quartered! I offer you life."  
"Who'll be first to sign?" yelled Trask, and one man got up slowly and shuffled forward, and he was quickly followed by all the others, until only Rory, the Laird, Will and Jamie were left on their side of the hull.  
Trask chuckled malevolently. "Only four for the hanging then, Perkins."  
Jamie got reluctantly to his feet, much to the dismay of the others "Can I sign?" he asked hesitantly. "Certainly." replied Perkins. Jamie wandered up, then squinted carefully at the contract. "Can I read it first?"  
"If you wish." laughed Perkins. "Actually, no." Jamie corrected himself. "I can't read. Rory, have a look at this.". Rory clambered to his feet as well. For a moment they both pretended to read it, and then both Rory and Jamie grabbed a sheet of it and ripped it in half.  
They only smiled for a second. Trask brought his whip crashing down on Rory, and one of his soldiers grabbed Jamie and Rory's unconscious body and dragged them upstairs, amid mixed cheers and shouting from the rebels, even the ones who had signed.

Amy and Kirsty ran back into the barn as quickly as they could, fishing out Ffinch's stolen money from where they'd hidden it. "How much is that?" asked Kirsty.  
"Umm..." Amy couldn't count shillings and things, but luckily the TARDIS matrix translated for her, and she gave Kirsty a sum. "Is that enough to buy weapons?"  
"Why, that's more money than I've ever seen in my life!"  
"Come on then!"

Onboard the ship, Jamie and Rory were dragged to the deck. Rory had woken up a little and was looking around groggily, only to see Jamie's pale, frightened face and Trask's sneer in the darkness. "Which one of you shall we chose to be dunked?" he said. Jamie didn't say anything: he didn't want Rory to be dunked under the water, but at least Rory could swim.  
"Take the English one." chose Trask randomly. Rory was tied to the end of a rope and thrown overboard roughly. Jamie watched, terrified, as Rory wasn't pulled up for about a minute, and responded with even more shock as the rope was pulled up with no one on the other end. Rory had disappeared.  
Unknown to those abroad the ship - and unknown I suppose to anyone at that time other than Amy and Rory - Rory was Ledworth's swimming race champion four years in a row. And the fifth time, he came second. Having wriggled his way out of the badly tied ropes, Rory swam quickly to the harbour, only for someone to point a gun at him as he pulled himself exhaustedly up onto dry land. "Oh no.." he moaned. "Seriously?"  
But then the gun was lowered, and there was a grinning Amy on the other end. 

"Amy! What are you doing?"  
"We've been gathering weapons," she said, pulling him to his feet. "Luckily enough for you, we were just on our way to that boat." she pointed to a small punt. "What are you doing that for?" asked Rory, bewildered.  
"Oh, it was the Doctor's idea." replied Kirsty brightly. "We're going to get some arms to our friends aboard the Annabelle."

The Doctor was aboard the Annabelle at that very moment, having been shown the way by Grey. "Now," insisted Grey with an eagerness of greed. "which one is the prince?". The Doctor sighed, straightened his bow tie, and told him - as though he was reluctant - "The young piper. Dark haired; the one with the injured Laird."

Jamie had been thrown - quite literally, THROWN - back down the steps and into the hull. "Jamie!" cried the Laird. "Are you alright?"  
"Aye, but Rory's disappeared!"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well," he said, meaning to continue, but he was interrupted by a knocking by one of the portholes. "what's that?"  
"Someone wants to get in?" hazarded Will. "Hello?" whispered a voice; Kirsty's voice. "Kirsty!" said the Laird happily, jumping to the porthole. "What are you doing here?"  
"The Doctor has a plan, father. He's going to get you out of there."  
"Kirsty," cut in Jamie. "Have you seen Rory?"  
"I'm here." added Rory from the little boat. "How the hell did you do that?" he laughed, happy that Rory was in fact NOT DEAD.  
"Mels taught us it." explained Amy from the boat. "Now, take these" - and she handed them assorted pistols and cutlasses that she and Kirsty had stolen and bought respectively - "and listen. The Doctor's plan is..."

A few minutes later, the Doctor was led down the stairs by Grey, to where most of the Highlanders had sunk into an exhausted sleep. "The young piper, you say?" asked Grey again. "Yes, yes." said the Doctor impatiently. "Here he is."  
Grey hurried over to the Doctor... But then the Laird, and pretty quickly everyone else, leaped up and charged at Grey, nearly knocking the Doctor down while they were at it. He twisted oddly out of their way, then hurried back up the stairs, followed by most of the Highlanders. They charged at the sailors, yelling, and... Well, before long they had taken the ship.  
The Doctor grabbed Rory and Amy and pulled them away from the growing battle. The Laird, who was taking a 'wee break' for 'health reasons' (someone had stabbed him in the arm - not hard, but still) interrupted them, Jamie running to his side. "You'll not be going, Doctor?"  
"Ah, I think that's the best idea. You, Kirsty, Jamie, go with Will to France. It's better there."  
He, Amy and Rory made to leave the ship, but they quickly noticed that someone was following them. "Jamie!" shouted Rory, surprised. "What are you doing?"  
He emerged, looking a little sheepish. "I don't want to go to France, and, well, you'll need someone who knows their way across the moor, won't you?"  
The Doctor grinned in his slightly blind way and clapped Jamie on the back. "Come on then, Jamie McCrimmon."  
He lead them back to the TARDIS. "What on earth is that?" he laughed.  
"It's a phone box," said the Doctor. "and you can only come aboard if you teach me to play the bagpipes." Rory rolled his eyes.  
"It flies." said Amy simply and flitted inside. Rory shrugged sympathetically at Jamie and following her. The Doctor found he didn't need to say anything, he just jumped in and left the door wide open, so Jamie could see inside.  
Eyes widening and with a smile on his face, Jamie followed them into time and space.


End file.
